West Desert Butterfly Photos

Camillus Crescent butterfly on rabbitbrush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Earlier this week I did some West Desert wandering and while I was there I took some butterfly photos that clumps of blooming rabbitbrush had attracted. One of the butterfly species that caught my eyes were small, brightly patterned crescent butterflies.

West Desert Camillus Crescent – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

At first I thought this was a Field Crescent but after keying it out I believe this is a Camillus Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella camillus). This butterfly stuck around on the tops of blooming rabbitbrush for a bit.

Head on Mormon Fritillary – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

When a larger Mormon Fritillary (Speyeria mormonia) butterfly caught my eyes I focused on it as it nectared on the bright yellow flowers of the rabbitbrush.

Mormon Fritillary butterfly on rabbitbrush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I took images of the Mormon Fritillary in many different poses and from different angles.  The rabbitbrush made for a bright, colorful setting for this highly patterned butterfly.

West Desert Mormon Fritillary butterfly – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I had fun taking these butterfly photos out in the West Desert but the day was going have a record breaking high temp so I didn’t linger with them as long as I would have liked.

Birds were much harder to find and those that I did find were either too far away or weren’t in a location that allowed me to photograph them. Happily I still found other things with wings to focus on.

Life is good.

Mia

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